Greater New Orleans

Former St. Tammany Parish Coroner Peter Galvan, accompanied by his wife, Alison, walks into the federal courthouse in New Orleans Wednesday (Feb. 12, 2014) to be sentenced on a public corruption charge. Galvan was given a two-year sentence.
(AP Photo/Mike Stewart)

Former St. Tammany Parish Coroner Peter Galvan was sentenced Wednesday to 24 months in prison and fined $5,000 for using his well-financed agency for his own personal gain. U.S. District Judge Susie Morgan ordered Galvan to to pay at least $193,388 in restitution to the coroner's office.

Galvan addressed the court before the sentencing and apologized for betraying the trust of the parish's voters. That apology marked the first time that Galvan had publicly addressed the issues coming from his office. Galvan must report to the Bureau of Prisons on April 11. His attorney asked that he be allowed to serve his time at an institution as close to New Orleans as possible.

The sentencing of Galvan, who resigned in October and pleaded guilty to a federal corruption charge, essentially closes the book on a scandal that has been the talk of St. Tammany for more than a year, outraging citizens, leading to a parish government takeover of coroner's office finances and igniting a drive for an Inspector General on the north shore. Galvan's cavalier use of taxpayer money, coupled with his steadfast refusal to discuss the spending, even prompted the St. Tammany Parish Council to take the extraordinary step last March of formally asking him to step down.

Story by

Robert Rhoden and Kim ChatelainStaff writers

Galvan faced a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine on the charge of conspiracy to commit theft of property and money from a municipal institution receiving federal funds.

"I apologize to the people of St. Tammany Parish who elected me,'' Galvan said in court. "I betrayed their trust. I have ruined my career and reputation.''

Galvan said he would make full restitution to the citizens of the parish and apologized to his wife and daughter.

"It's been extremely hard on them,'' he said.

Galvan's attorney Billy Gibbens told Morgan that Galvan wanted to plead guilty and take responsibility for his actions from the time Gibbens began representing the former coroner. Galvan has remained silent throughout the ordeal under the advice of his attorneys, Gibbens said, noting that his client is "not the pariah he was made out to be."

Former St. Tammany Parish Coroner Peter Galvan in this photo from October arriving at the courthouse to plead guilty.Chris Granger/ NOLA.com|The Times-Picayune

In her sentencing remarks, Morgan said she received more letters of support on Galvan's behalf "than in any other case." She said it was apparent that Galvan was a loving and supportive husband and father and an excellent physician.

But Morgan said she also received letters from citizens expressing outrage at Galvan's actions, which has caused citizens to lose faith in government.

"Incarceration is necessary," she said.

The $5,000 fine is to be paid immediately, the judge said. The amount of restitution could climb - the judge scheduled a hearing March 12 to determine possible additional financial losses to the parish.

U.S. Attorney Kenneth Polite Jr. said Wednesday's sentencing reflects the fact that public officials will be held accountable for their actions.

"Our residents expect that elected officials will provide honest services to the public, and not use their offices or titles to enrich themselves," Polite said in a news release. "We expect, and will no longer tolerate, anything less."

In a statement issued Wednesday afternoon, St. Tammany Parish President Pat Brister said the sentencing of Galvan moves the parish one step closer to normalcy.

"My personal disappointment in what has happened during the last year of this ordeal can't be measured in the number of years in a prison sentence," Brister said.

"We owe the court, the U.S. Attorney, and the Legislative Auditor's office a debt of gratitude. Finally, after many months, we can now move on from this betrayal of the public trust."

Terry King, a whistle blower who uncovered wrongdoing in the coroner's office and shared documents with investigators and media, attended the sentencing and said he was satisfied with the punishment handed down by Morgan.

"For us it's a bittersweet thing because you hate to see somebody go through a situation like this and then throw their career away and their lives away, but that's what has to happen to get this under control."

The federal government charged Galvan in October through a bill of information, rather than a grand jury indictment, which often signals the defendant is cooperating with authorities. Authorities said Galvan was not entitled to annual or sick leave, yet he received yearly payments for unused annual and sick leave totaling $111,376 over a five-year period.

Galvan also conspired with an employee of the coroner's office to purchase a $9,170 generator for the coroner's personal vessel, a life raft and life jackets valued at $4,841, and a global positioning system valued at $2,395 for his personal use, all with public money, the bill of information said.

Galvan also used the coroner's office credit card to buy meals and other personal items totaling $15,606, which were unrelated to the office's business, according to the charges.

In addition, the Justice Department said Galvan, a physician, individually contracted with the city of Slidell to provide medical services for inmates of the Slidell jail. The contract was not with the coroner's office, but with Galvan personally.

Galvan conspired with an employee of coroner's office to service this contract while the employee was supposed to be working for and being paid by the coroner's office. The bill of information charges that the coroner's office employee was paid at least $50,000 in public money to fulfill Galvan's personal contract.

The bill of information did not name the others involved in the conspiracy.

NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune reported last April that Galvan routinely sent Mark Lombard, the coroner's office's chief investigator, to make weekly visits to the jail. Lombard resigned in October.

Galvan had served as coroner since 2000, enjoying robust support from the electorate and other public officials. A wrongful termination lawsuit filed against Galvan in 2010 by King's wife Laura, a former coroner employee, eventually led to the release of reams of public records by the coroner's office that revealed lavish spending by the office and other questionable practices.

In January 2013, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune reported the coroner's office used taxpayer money for more than $36,000 in meals at 151 different restaurants from 2006 through 2012. Taxpayer money also was used to ring up substantial purchases at groceries, retail stores and sporting goods/outdoor outlets, records show.

The Legislative Auditor opened an investigation on Jan. 30, 2013, eight days after the news organization's revelations appeared, and an investigation by the FBI followed.

Last March, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune reported that six of the coroner's office's 22 full-time employees at the time were paid annual salaries exceeding $100,000. Those salaries were part of a payroll that had spiked by more than 350 percent since 2004, according to an evaluation of a series of audits.

Last spring, the Legislature approved a bill turning over control of the coroner's office finances to the parish government. The Parish Council in September cut the agency's property tax millage from 3.38 to 2.96 mills, a 12-percent or $700,000 per year reduction.

The council said it would review the funding again in two years.

Galvan, an internist, ran a full-time medical practice in Slidell while serving as coroner. He closed his practice in December.

More than 80 people, including many of Galvan's patients, wrote letters to Morgan, urging the federal judge to spare Galvan prison time because of his medical skills and his value to the community. Others countered with letters urging the judge to make Galvan serve time in jail.

Galvan's sentencing came on the same day as qualifying began for the April 5 election to fill his unexpired term.